


What do you say?

by L82dparty



Series: One shots [5]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27758860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L82dparty/pseuds/L82dparty
Summary: What might have happened after the Bellas discovered their sound, PP2 era.I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of the characters.All mistakes are mine (=
Relationships: Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Series: One shots [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175525
Comments: 10
Kudos: 66





	What do you say?

Aubrey sat alone by the fire, thinking over the last two days. She certainly was pleased with the outcome, but surprised at how quickly the resolution had come. Beca must have been closer to her breaking point than anyone realized. With a contented sigh, she stood up and reached for the sand pail.

“Wait?”

Aubrey turned, surprised to hear a voice after all of the Bellas had trickled back to their tent. “Beca?”

“Yeah.” Beca stepped out of the shadows and into the firelight reflection. “Would it be ok if I sat out here alone for a little while?”

Aubrey hesitated. “Site rules,” she began.

“Please?”

Beca’s voice was so soft, Aubrey wasn’t sure she had heard it. Without a word, she put the pail down, stoked up the fire and added another log. Finally, she spoke without looking at Beca. “If you keep it from burning too hot, that will last a good hour. When you need more, be careful not to place it right on top of the flame, and leave room for air to flow. Be sure to pour sand over the ash when you leave and stir thoroughly to be sure it is out.” Aubrey turned to walk away.

“Thank you.” Again, Beca’s voice was soft, but filled with some emotion Aubrey couldn’t place.

“Take the path to my cabin if you need help. I’m the third building on the left.” Aubrey smiled kindly and then walked away.

Beca sat down in the same place she had been when the whole team had been gathered earlier in the evening. She put her blanket over her knees and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her legs. She stared at the flickering flames as they settled down around the new log, watching them lick blue and orange and yellow in different areas. She found it oddly soothing.

She didn’t know how long she sat there, but it was long enough that she started to consider putting another log into the pit. There was still flame, but it seemed more subdued, rather like Beca’s mood. She tossed aside the blanket and added more fuel to the fire before settling down in a more comfortable position this time.

“Is this a private party?”

The quiet voice startled her. Beca looked up to see Chloe standing uncertainly just outside of the bench circle. Beca shook her head, “I’m just thinking.”

Chloe stepped into the circle and sat down in Amy’s spot. “Isn’t that what got us into this mess?” Chloe’s voice held a teasing lilt. “Thinking too hard without a sounding board?”

“I guess it is.” Beca laughed quietly. “Bad habits die hard.”

“I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

Beca looked over at her and smiled. “You are a great listener.”

Chloe winked and didn’t reply.

“Waiting for me to talk?” Beca laughed harder when all Chloe did was smirk. “Ok, I’ll try.” Beca brought her eyes back to the fire pit. “I’m scared, Chlo. I don’t know what happened to all that cocky arrogance I had as a freshman when I was so sure I could be a producer, when all I wanted was to pay my dues and make music.”

Chloe tilted her head to one side. She didn’t often see the unsure side of Beca. Seldom had it been over anything more than a mix tape or a study guide. She sat quietly while Beca continued.

“I guess somewhere along the way I realized music is way bigger than me. Sure, I can take what others have done and remix it, but there were people who made that original work. They agonized over every note and instrument, every rest and fermata. Is my changing it doing justice to their passion?”

Chloe blinked. She wasn’t sure she could have interrupted if she had wanted to.

“It’s why I’m so envious of Emily. Music pours out of her. Original stuff. I can’t do that.” Beca sighed heavily.

“You haven’t tried.” Chloe suggested after a long silence.

Beca shook her head, “I have! It’s all I’ve been trying to do since Sammy said anyone with a laptop can do what I do.”

Chloe scooted closer, so her shoulder almost touched Beca’s. Without a word, Beca tossed part of her blanket over Chloe’s legs. Chloe smiled. Sometimes, it’s the littlest things that ease the biggest hurts. “You were trying to make Sammy happy. You weren’t trying to capture your own thoughts and feelings into music.”

Beca smiled as her eyes cut sideways to look at Chloe before returning to gaze at the fire. “Semantics.”

“Truth.” Chloe slipped an arm inside of Beca’s bent elbow. “Every time you create something out of another song, you capture the feeling you want. Maybe you don’t have words, but you have rhythm and melody and harmony. You write the breakdowns we sing. You hear the music.”

“So?” Beca sounded as if she were seconds away from laughing or crying.

Chloe hugged the arm she held. “So find a lyricist. Maybe Emily. Maybe not. Composers for centuries have let others write the words. Be a composer.”

Beca leaned away so she could turn toward Chloe and study her best friend. When she saw only sincerity and earnestness, and not the mocking she expected, her own expression cleared. “Compose?”

“Yeah, like Oscar Hammerstein, or Alan Mencken, or even Andrew Lloyd Webber.” Chloe grinned. “Hammerstein and Mencken almost never wrote the book. Webber only did after he and Tim Rice had a falling out.”

“How do you know that?” Beca chuckled. “I thought you were a lit major.”

Chloe giggled back. “Literature in popular media my first senior year.”

Beca leaned back into their interlocked arms and looked back at the fire. “What do I do, Chlo?”

“I just told you.” Chloe bumped her shoulder into Beca’s.

“No. I mean when I can’t see you every day.” Beca really did sound like she was going to cry this time.

Chloe felt her own breath catch. She had been trying to avoid that thought all night. She leaned her head against Beca’s shoulder and they both looked at the fire for a while. Finally, Chloe sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

Beca nodded and used her free hand to wipe tears from her cheek. “I’m a total chicken shit. I don’t want to graduate. I don’t want to leave the Bellas.” Her voice cracked. “I don’t want to leave you.”

Chloe smiled. “I know that feeling. Why do you think I had three extra senior years?” She kissed Beca on the cheek. “It wasn’t just fear of moving on, or leaving the Bellas. I was scared to leave you, too.”

Beca leaned her head over so that they were resting the sides of their heads together. “Quite a pair, aren’t we?”

“Yeah,” Chloe nodded, bouncing both of their heads. “Together, we’ve done so much.”

“Then come with me?” Beca turned her head. “I have an internship in New York. I have a line on a studio apartment. It will be crowded and cramped, but we could be together.”

Chloe felt her eyes sting. “I would love to come to New York with you. I really don’t know what to do with my life.”

Beca smiled, her eyes dancing. “Just be my muse, my sounding board. I can do anything when you believe in me.”

“I’ve always believed in you, Beca Mitchell.” Chloe answered sincerely. To her surprise, Beca abruptly stood and pulled away. “Where are you going?”

“To put another log on the fire. I don’t want to give up this night.” Beca did as she promised, then grabbed another blanket from the far side of the fire pit. She placed it on the ground, and then sat down in front of the bench Chloe still occupied. “Come here.”

Chloe let herself be tugged down to sit between Beca’s legs. Beca then draped the original blanket over both of them, tucking it behind her back against the bench. She rested her chin on Chloe’s shoulder and pressed their cheeks together. “I’m not scared anymore.” 

Chloe felt tears sting her eyes again. Swallowing against a sudden thickness in her throat, she nodded and said, “neither am I.”

An hour later, Aubrey got up and stepped outside to check on Beca. She smiled at her two friends, now curled up together beside a dying flame. Aubrey collected other blankets from around the fire pit and tucked them around the pair before she poured sand over what remained of the smoldering fire. She looked at them fondly before texting security to keep an eye on two campers asleep by the fire. 

Aubrey: don’t disturb them, but don’t let anyone or thing disturb them before sunup  
Jimmy: got it, boss.  
Aubrey: stop calling me boss. G’night, Jimmy  
Jimmy: g’night Aubrey

Aubrey smiled and started toward her cabin. She allowed herself one more look. She really thought maybe they were going to be ok.


End file.
